cars

Whether it’s the late ’60s Formula 1 looks or the roaring 5.0-litre V8, the Lola T142 is a British racing icon that conquered the world in the late sixties and early seventies. So dominant was the relatively budget Lola chassis, it all but killed off the F5000 racing in the USA. The series switched to sports car style bodies and resurrected the Can-Am championship in 1977. Unlike the…

“Motorsport can be dangerous.” A sentence that is written on every ticket for every motorsport venue around the country for very good reason. Andy Greenen found this out first hand as his day finished early with a very bent EP3. Fortunately, Andy walked away and looked relatively unhurt. Andy shares the Civic Type R with his brother, Adam. They are currently sharing the lead in Class 4A (Roadgoing Production Cars…

Having been to Gurston Down Speed Hillclimb a few times I thought I had the competition sussed, until now. Whilst it is never going to compete for top honours, John Harrison’s late-’50s Dodge Coronet is simply badass. The 325 cubic-inch engine (that’s 5.3-litres to you and I) probably kicks out less power than a modern sports hatchback and weighing in at over two tonnes – by today’s standards, it’s a prehistoric dinosaur….

It’s the most common sight on the streets of Tokyo, but this one was 3SGTE powered before being converted to an RB26 unit and used to compete in the D1 Street Legal Championship. It was for sale a while ago and still one of the few cars I’d really love to import.

It’s a well known fact that all cars look cooler with a Japanese license plate, here are some examples of how the Japanese can modify and restore Volkswagens with a touch of class. I know nothing more about these cars, other than they were all cruising around Ginza on a Sunday afternoon. Ginza is more famous for its high-end department stores than its car culture and you are more likely…

Akihabara (also known as Akiba) is known as Electronics town. The area became famous after World War II and was THE place in Tokyo to buy radio and electronic equipment on the black market. Nowadays, Akiba is synonymous with the Otaku subculture. Often misrepresented as ‘nerds’, the term Otaku encompasses anyone with a passion for something; usually comic or gaming related. Akiba is a hub for manga, anime and gaming; so when you throw…

If you’re a Gran Turismo fan, you may recognise the final hairpin of the R246 track in the photo. It wasn’t planned, but my hotel was located on the final corner of this fictional race track. We were coming back from Fuji Speedway when Mike pointed out that we were driving part of the track as we approached the hotel. As it was Golden Week and the roads were quiet, we…

Driftworks’ D1GB Championship winning Nissan 200SX S14a was not only a legendary machine capable of keeping up with the Japanese D1GP stars; it grabbed the attention of the non-drifting community with its mid-body side exit exhaust and extreme styling. Its real advantage over the competition was the pilot. Phil Morrison’s flair, style and disregard for his own safety, ensured that this S14 was always on (and often way over) the limit…

Having looked around the Toy part of the museum, it was time to explore the classic cars of the Yokota Collection. Masahiro Yokota has collected and meticulously restored some of Japan’s most iconic cars. Spread over three floors, they range from the modest to the marvelous. We start on the lowest of the three floors and are immediately introduced to some of the weird and wonderful cars that kickstarted the…

The M. Yokota Classic Car Collection is only a small part of the (take a deep breath) ‘Ikaho Toy & Doll Teddybear Confectionery & Chocolate Automobile Museum’, but if you ever venture off the well trodden Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka path, it is definitely worth a visit. If I had the money, this is what my house would look like. Fortunately, Masahiro Yokota is a kindred spirit and after making his money in the building industry…